Feature Story and Photos By Larry H. Oskin
Friends of Lake Louisa State Park recently held their annual Poochapalooza event. South Lake area residents brought their pooches out to the park to enjoy a day of fun activities for themselves and their pet doggies. Folks were able to visit exhibitors and vendors, see demonstrations of some amazing dogs in action, shop for pet supplies, buy new pet wardrobe outfits, adopt a new rescue dog, grab a bite to eat and enter drawings to win great prizes. All proceeds went to benefit Lake Louisa State Park.
Several thousand folks visited a mass of 25 special vendors and sponsors that included The Central Florida Humane Society and Animal League, Let’s Tie One On Paracord Craft Designs, Arellano Realty, Mobile Vet To Pet, Playful Paws Photography, Lucky Dogs Lure Coursing, Little Darlings Pinups for Pit Bulls, All Pampered Pets In-Home Pet Care, Scentsy, Atlas Pet Clinic, Pet Paradise, HempWorx, Happy Tails, Florida Boxer Rescue, Disney Blanketeers, Paparazzi, Clermont Animal Hospital, Michaux Family Chiropractic, 832 K-9 Deputy Dogs, Marco’s Pizza and Clermont Police.
Lake Louisa State Park: Like most of Florida’s state parks, this park is open from 8 AM to sunset every day of the year. Lake Louisa State Park is a 4,372-acre park located at 7305 Highway 27, in Clermont, FL 34714, in the northeast corner of the Green Swamp and the southwestern shore of Lake Louisa. It is made up of bald cypress, live oak and saw palmettos. They offer camping, glamping, horseback riding, kayak tours, canoeing, fishing and guided hiking walks as well as equipment and 20 vacation cabin rentals.
A short drive from Orlando, this park is noted for its six beautiful lakes, rolling hills and 
scenic landscapes. Lake Louisa is the largest in a chain of 13 lakes connected by the Palatlakaha River, which is designated as an Outstanding Florida Waterway. Lake Louisa, Dixie Lake and Hammond Lake, the park’s most accessible lakes with access for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Anglers can fish in four of the park’s six lakes. Only boats powered by trolling motors or without motors are permitted. Gasoline-powered boats are not allowed. Camping facilities and more than 15 miles of horse trails are available for equestrians. For hikers and backpackers, the park has over 20 miles of hiking trails with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing. Dixie Lake has a fishing pier, canoe/kayak launch and a picnic pavilion. Lake Louisa has many types of wildlife at the park, including a wide array of butterflies and birds.
Friends of Lake Louisa State Park: If you can volunteer for a couple hours at LLSP, they will guarantee you will have loads of fun, get dirty and go home with a sense of accomplishment. Hours are very flexible and they are willing to fit into your schedule. If you want to be a butterfly gardener, join them once a month at the Ranger Station Butterfly Garden to help maintain their ADA Compliant Butterfly Garden. You can volunteer to help at FOLLSP Fundraisers. They need help at the registration desk, parking, pre-event set up, getting fliers out and more. Become a hometown Park Hero. Volunteer Day happens every April. Volunteer Groups meet to work on Park Projects like pulling invasive plants, painting, repairing things and more! Its hands on, outdoors and fun. Visit: https://llsp.org/Volunteer. FOLLSP is a 501-C3 non-profit organization.
Poochapaolooza is a free annual event. You merely need to pay for the park entrance fee for your carful of visitors. To get involved and sign up for next year’s February 2021 event, visit https://llsp.org/
EDITORIAL NOTE: Larry Oskin is a writer and photographer for the South Lake Tablet. He is the owner of Marketing Solutions / Art Beautique, offering creative marketing, media relations and professional fine art photography services. He is a Board Member of the Clermont Downtown Partnership, the Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra and the Clermont Historic Society. For more information, contact Oskin at 703-508-6800 or at LOskin@MktgSols.com.
